Posted online: Feb 3rd, 2010

Fianna Fail Senator Brian O’Domhnaill is believed to be the favoured son at headquarters level, to contest the forthcoming Donegal south west bye election, the Donegal Post can reveal.
While speculation continues as to who could emerge from the woodwork, the current names being touted do not have the weight to retain a seat for Fianna Fail, party sources have indicated to this paper.
Cllr David Alcorn, former Cllr and Senator Enda Bonner, Cllr Patrick McGowan and Cllr Gerry Crawford are just some of the names from the FF camp, that are being spoken about at present.
There appears to be some bickering as to how the candidate will be selected, but the message is that the party must select the person, who has the highest profile and the best ability to mop up as many votes in te constituency.
To O’Domhnaill’s advantage, he is the only other Fianna Fail representative in the Oireachtas from the constituency, a point alluded to recently by Tanaiste Mary Coughlan on RTE’s The Politics Show last week.
It is understood that there is still a residual chilly air between the Coughlan and Cope camps following the Cope’s forced move to the backbenches and later election to the European parliament.